Limassol is set to implement a groundbreaking on-demand mini-bus service for school transport, blending electric public transport mini-buses with private vans. This service will initially be offered to adolescent students aged 12-18 for school and after -school activities, later expanding to tourists and company employees.
Limassol, one of the four metaCCAZE trailblazer cities, is working to reduce peak traffic and congestion. One of the use cases to be implemented in the Cypriot city is an on-demand mini-bus service for school transport. This service will use a mix of electric public transport mini-buses operated by EMEL (Limassol Public Bus Transport Company) and private vans/mini-buses. Initially, the service will be available only to adolescent students (ages 12 to 18) for their after-school activities. At a later stage, it will also be extended to tourists and employees of certain companies within the city.
The on-demand platform being developed will allow users to pre-book a seat for the days and times they need. AI-based algorithms will match demand with the available fleet and guide mini-bus drivers on the best routes to follow, optimising both waiting and travel times. This service marks a significant step toward sustainability and climate neutrality, as it aims to reduce the number of private vehicles on the road, shifting trips into shared journeys via mini-buses.
Currently, MaaSLab, the supporting partner of Limassol, has conducted interviews with professional drivers operating mini-vans, identifying demand in the city and preparing the platform and application that will be used in this use case. A Travel Demand Survey will be carried out between November 2024 and January 2025, involving volunteer participants from the city. The survey will track their daily trips through an application, present them with the service, and explore their attitudes and perceptions about:
- The design of the service
- Its potential success
- Expected impact on traffic, safety
- Emissions and climate contract targets
Additionally, the schools that will participate have already been identified, and workshops with parents are underway.
In conjunction with the on-demand mini-bus service, Limassol will also implement another use case within the Living Lab, integrating smart systems to improve connectivity and support the electrification of the Public Transport System, which is another use case of the metaCCAZE project. MaaSLab is collecting all necessary data and cooperating with its local partner EMEL to assess the needs and align fleet availability, demand, and grid capacity.
More about or Living Lab Limassol
In the metaCCAZE project, Limassol focuses on four exciting use cases to reduce peak traffic and congestion. Cooperating with MaaSLab, Etaireia Metaforas Epibaton Lemesou (E.M.E.L.) LIMITED, Oxygen for Democracy, nextbike Cy Ltd and MobiLysis, the city is committed to reducing its reliance on cars. Learn more about the living lab Limassol’s role as a trailblazer city here.
[TB1]for school and after-school activities
